1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to theft prevention systems and more particularly pertains to a new anti-theft system for permitting removal of the gear selection shaft from a vehicle having a gear selection console with an aperture extending through it that permits external gear selection of a transmission, thereby preventing theft of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of theft prevention systems is known in the prior art. More specifically, theft prevention systems heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art theft prevention systems include U. S. Pat. No. 5,211,078; U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,257; U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,307; U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,544; U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,535; EPO Patent No. EP 0 703 520 A1 (Inventor: Woeste); and PCT Patent No. WO 87/06897 (Inventor: Robinson).
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new anti-theft system. The inventive device includes a transmission engaging lever that is movably mounted to a transmission. The first end of the transmission engaging lever is insertable into the lower end of a shaft member that extends through the aperture in the console. A release lever extends from the aperture of the shaft member towards the lower end of the shaft member. The second end of the release lever has a flange extending from it that is inserted into a notch in the transmission engaging lever when the release lever is in an engaged position, thereby coupling the shaft member to the transmission engaging lever. The flange of the release lever is spaced apart from the notch of the transmission engaging lever when the release lever is in a released position, permitting removal of the shaft member from the console.
In these respects, the anti-theft system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of permitting removal of the gear selection shaft from a vehicle having a gear selection console with an aperture extending through it that permits external gear selection of a transmission, thereby preventing theft of the vehicle.